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The Proving
Koyuki tapped the marble island impatiently as the food that rested upon the top of the stove, an aroma of meats and dairy, steamed. She sat in a kitchen much smaller than the royal palace’s eating quarters. It didn’t have the vast stretches of tables that occupy thousands of guests; it could perhaps barely host more than ten-fifteen people at a time, but to Koyuki, this kitchen was more warm and welcoming than any feast in the royal palace. There was no politics here, no deals and agreements occurring behind her back, no assassination attempts of the sort. It was just home. When she would grow tired of the duties of an emperor, Koyuki would retreat here, a place that only select few people knew about: Thatch, Aoshin, and Isshin to be specific. Aoshin’s acquirement of the area, however, was less intentional. Koyuki particularly didn’t like being seen alone with that one. However, none dare set foot in this place without her permission, all except for the two other individuals who were aware of its existence: Heili, and Static, her two children. Here, she waited for them to arrive. Afterall, before an Emperor, she was a Yonko, or so she desired to be. Often, she found herself unable to bear the weight of the responsibilities of a mother while acting as the Pirate Queen. She lacked the time to see her children, and when she did, she lacked the energy needed to entertain them. She recalled missing birthdays, missing important events, yet, rarely did she recall ever missing meetings with other kings and queens, or diplomatic assignments. She regretted every bit of it. Now, as her children grew older and more entrenched in their respective duties, Koyuki realized that they soon would go off to become their own people, and eventually they would follow similar paths as her. Thus, there were certain days during the year she would allocate to her children, not by canceling her own duties, but by involving them in her affairs. They were, afterall, the heirs to her empire; everything she had built was for them, and would be sustained by them. Thus, this morning before the biggest war council they would ever have, Koyuki made breakfast and ordered her children here, to prepare them for their appearance. Walking the grand halls of the Royal Palace Static couldn’t help but reminisce about his upbringing as the delicious aroma wafts around. Thinking back to the days before he Was Daddy N. Static or Ward Daemon, back before all the chaos and duties of his life became an issue, back when he was simply Fukuoka Kuroshio a naive boy who always found wonder with the big world around him, the same boy who would constantly cling to his mothers skirt when ever she wasn’t away or locked away in her office, back to the simpler times, However as quickly as that feeling of nostalgia hit it was quickly dismissed, while he loved and respected his mother a part of him holds a resentment towards her for her partial abandonment during his childhood, it was due to this small part that he was quick to volunteer to become her spy within the Marines having partially wanted to walk a separate path from her not wanting to become the person she was. Laughing silently to himself at his naive thoughts Static to quietly make his way towards where he knew his mother was more than likely situated while idly wondering if his sister already arrived, having not seen her in a few years before brushing that thought aside to focus on what reason his mother had to request this meeting which in it self was unordinary because usually it was him who would go about seeking her audience. Breifly entertaining the idea of seeking out and Isshin whom he knows probably has an idea on what was going on before once again discarding that idea after realizing while he was lost in thought he has arrived to his destination, releasing a sigh he gently knock on the door before entering. The door slid open before Static as Legs waited on the table, the web that was used to pull it open dissipating as quickly as it was formed. She sat at the island, a smile slapped onto her visage comfortably, a smile that many could claim to have seen, but one that was very usually ever truly genuine. Static could argue he was one of the few people to have that honor. "Hey there, Static! How are you? I'm so happy to see you again. Please, come. Give your mother a hug." Looking on as his mother gave Home one of her genuine smile one that always made him relaxed and happy something he hasn’t felt in a long time, walking over towards Legs he wraps his mother in a higher embrace slightly taking in her scent something he always found comfort in when he was a child. "It’s been far to long Mom, I have missed you dearly." Mumbled Static without releasing his mother knowing full well that this might be the last time he gets to embrace her in a long time. Haha, I am aware that it’s been forever.” Koyuki withdrew herself, and gestured to the plethora of foods that rested upon the stove. “Which is why I took the personal liberty of cooking food myself. I can’t promise that it’ll be better than the chefs, but, I’d like to say I did a pretty good job. Anyway, the plates and utensils are right next to it. Unfortunately, there are no servants present here, so you’ll have to serve yourself. I hope the marines haven’t spoiled you that much that this is a bother,” Koyuki slightly jested. “But, go on, grab some food and then take a seat next to me. We’ll talk while we wait for your sister to join us. Not surprised that one is late.” Smiling gently at Legs Static turned to face the food which gave off a mouth watering aroma. "I wish the Marines would spoil us a little everything and everyone with the exception of a few people are always so serious and bland." Spoke Static as he takes a set beside his mother . "Besides If your skills haven’t Dulled since Heili and I were Children then I’m Positive that what you cooked will be better than anything our cooks can make" stated Static as he began to load up his plate. "I’m pretty Sure Heili probably just forgot bout the timeframe of this "reunion" and should be bustling in here soon enough like always". Jokes Static as he acknowledge the fact that his Sister was forever late. Koyuki glanced towards the door. “Yeah, let’s not worry ourselves too much! She’ll be here eventually, right?” She inquired rhetorically, though, just a small tinge of her voice indicated slight doubt. Afterall, Heili failed to appear before her last time, though Koyuki accredited that to a poor lack of communication on her part. She stressed this time that this appearance was not optional; that was her last mistake. “Anyway, Static. I need to ask. Have you finally found yourself your willing to spend your life with? Go on, do tell. Before your sister arrives at least. I’m willing to spare you that embarrassment.” Surprisingly, Heili had arrived to the palace before her brother, though she had been doing her damnedest to avoid having to face Legs for as long as she possibly could. She had walked the halls of her childhood, trying to keep her mind clear of all thoughts but she was failing miserably. Memories came unbidden and unwanted when she wandered into specific rooms. A young Heili sitting up, waiting at a window for mama to return. A young Heili crying on a birthday where the woman who had given birth to her had promised, promised to be in attendance, but had failed to show. A young Heili wondering why she was cursed with an absentee father and a mother that didn't seem actually interested in being a mother. It all became too much for the woman and she eventually made her way to the little kitchen area. She paused at the door for a moment and removed the rings holding her hair in place, telling the raven tresses fall around her face in a gentle tide before entering, right on time to hear her mother's last words "Oh now, now." Her voice rang out, announcing her presence "Why would you wand to deprive me of the chance to ridicule my brother over his choice of spouse, of all things? That's just cruel." Before he could answer his mother a new voice made itself know bring the attention of everyone in the room towards the entrance. "Oh I’m actually surprised you made it brat, considering timing and meeting aren’t your things." Spoke Static as he gets up and greets his sister with a brief hug and head pat. Koyuki’s face lit up with excitement, and her body did not betray her emotions, as she shot from her seat. “Hailey! What a treat! You made it! I’m glad! Please,” Koyuki continued, gesturing to the foods of the kitchen. “Help yourself, I made plenty you know! I think I have some of your favorite stuff in there too. Wait, nevermind, I’ll grab your plate for you, j-just, take a seat!” Koyuki’s movements were frantic as she moved to grab the food swiftly. “I want to hear all about how you’re doing, a-and your adventures, and everything!” Heili had glared at her brother heavily when he entrapped her in his arms, and the glare became all the more heavy when he gave her a head pat. She wasn't a child or dog, and anger was quickly starting to bubble to the surface of her usually calm countenance. She took a few deep breaths and let it go before taking a seat. Her mother's excitement put a sour taste in her mouth, but she kept her face a mask of calm and her voice extra dry "I assure you, mother, if I thought I had enough leeway in your "invitation" to not appear today, I wouldn't have. I am fine and my adventures have been rather dull. Now, can we get on to why I'm here? I doubt you would make my attendance mandatory if this was just a social call." Heili couldn't stand being around her mother for a long amount of time. The woman's attempts to make up for not being in her life irritated her to no end and would quickly cause her to lose her cool, so the faster this went, the better things would be. Koyuki’s smile continued. “Oh, Hailey, you were always the blunt one weren’t you, haha,” she spoke, though there was an uneasiness in her tone, almost as if she had forced that response out. “But, no, here, I want you to eat and just talk about what’s happening in your life.” Koyuki sat her plate down in front of her, and took her seat beside her. “Have the marines been treating you well? Have you made any new friends? I want to know it all!” If Heili had been hungry before, her appetite shriveled and died at the sight of the food and her mother's words. Her anger at this whole situation was mounting quickly, so she crossed her arms over her chest, digging her nails into her flesh and relishing in the pain that brought. Pain was a good way to take her mind off of her emotions when they were becoming a bit much for her. Hopefully she wouldn't feel the need to draw blood "Fine. I recently became the captain of my Marine vessel. Other than that, I haven't been through anything of note. Mostly sailing, sailing and more sailing. I don't have any friends on the ship because most of them fear me, or I find their company tedious and annoying. Also, what qualifies as my "favorite food" has changed. Which you would know if you had made any attempt to be more active in my life as a whole. You know, like a real mother." Her voice held no malice, despite the intent behind her words. It was deadpan, empty, as she pushed the plate back to her mother dejectedly. She didn't want to eat, she wanted to know why she was here and then leave. Having already foresaw the outcome of his sisters arrival Static was far from surprised at his sisters reaction to their mothers appearent happiness at her arrival, deciding to move things along Static gently placed his utensils down on the table before addressing his mother. "That’s enough Mother, we all know that this meeting was never going to be all roses and sunshine because in the end while I may ignore it, Heili has not and may not ever forgive you for basically abandoning us during our upbringing, so it would be for all our best interest that we move on to why this meeting is taking place." Spoke Static in a serious tone as his eyes slightly pander over to his sister with a look that basically states be silent. “You guys are still mad at me about that?” Koyuki inquired, scratching the back of her head awkwardly as she always did when she was made slightly uncomfortable or nervous. “Look, you have to understand, the responsibilities of the world weigh heavily on me, more so then they do now. I was busy building an empire for you guys, so that you could be safe and prosper in this hateful world.” She looked towards Hailey, for her words were more directed to her. “Hailey, look. I’m sorry,” she started, leaning closer towards her. “That’s the only thing I can give you to make up for the past. My apologies; I can’t change it, elsewise I would’ve already. But let’s not let the past taint our futures; forgive me.” Heili ignored her brother like she usually did, looking at her mother with glass-like watery eyes. She felt like crying, because thinking about it...it wasn't a good thing, but she would be damned if she let those tears fall "That is easier said than done. Most of my life you had been gone. Do you have no idea how much that hurts? To know that your mother is out there but she has more important things to do than spend time with you? Than to raise you? That to attend your birthday parties no matter how many promises she made?" She gave a bitter chuckle and leaned back in her chair, trying to restore the distance Legs had shortened "I didn't need an empire, I needed a mom. And now," She blinked and the wetness seemed to vanish, her eyes hardening a bit "No amount of apologizing is going to make that pain go away. If I do ever forgive you, it will take a lot more than an apology. But I can relent a bit with my attitude towards you so we can move forward, if it means I don't have to go through situations like this. Expressing my feelings is not my forte and it is more than a bit tiring." “Thanks, Hailey. You were always rationale at least,” Koyuki complimented. “Anyway, however, there is a greater purpose for me calling you here other than to simply reunite. So, please save your questions for the end.” She gave a glance to Static. “The Black Widow Pirates are going to war, and we’re going to war against Sengoku himself, another Yonko. We are not alone in this endeavor; we have the Veno Pirates, the Monk Pirates, and the Titan Pirates at as well. I’ve also invited Alessandra, Queen of Elbaf to our kingdom as well to help with this endeavor, though I can’t make any promises that she’ll join us. The reason I’m telling you two these things are for two major reasons,” Koyuki continued, signaling the number one with her fingers. “One, as my marine informants, I’ll require your assistance to detect any marine movement in regard to this. They don’t know our plans yet, but they’ll undoubtedly notice our movement. We need to be able to counter theirs. Two, you’re the future heirs to this kingdom, the ones who will inherit it in my stead. You two should be present for all meetings from this point on, especially something as important as a war council.” Pausing in his resumed consumption of his meal Static turned to his mother when she began's mentioning the up coming Yonko War. "So that's what this is about, There has been whispers of an up coming Clash between two of the Emperor's but I never would of thought it would be you and The Thousand-Man Slayer." Spoke Static as he drifts off into thought before returning his attention to his Mother. "Would you be requiring my Help in this coming War Mother seeing as I am the first crown Heir it would be the perfect time to reveal to the world our relationship ?" Questioned Static. Heili gave a small, almost imperceptible sigh. She knew there would come a time where her mother would try to get them more involved in the affairs of her empire, but Heili had been hoping and praying to however had designed the world they live in that she would be overlooked. If only because of the rift between herself and her mother. It would seem that her prayers had not been answered "A war between Yonko would definitely draw the attention of the Marines...but they won't be able to be held off for long if they come in full force. Plus I will only know the movements of a few ships myself, if they even decide to put my crew into the fray. And don't you think the Marines will notice if two of their ranks start disappearing at random times to parts unknown? That might raise more than a bit of suspicion." Koyuki nodded. "This is exactly why I need you here, Hailey. You offer more insight into the marines than I ever could. Afterall, you've spent years in their presence." Her tone was ironically playful, as if she had gotten the answer she expected, even when it was clear that her plan and her interpretation of the capabilities of her children in the marines was idealistic, and far fetched; almost as if she was laying a spider web. "The contentions you bring up are sound. The marines will make a move that we won't be able to stop, not if they come in full force. You two aren't equipped to deal with such an incident anyway, and since you two need to be present for future meetings, you being in the marines makes it difficult to do so. As a result, I believe you both know what this mean," Koyuki spoke. "Static hinted to it earlier with his inquiry. You, both, will break your ties with marines and announce your ties to me. You will appear in the Yonko Wars, and you two will both be present at my sides as we claim Sengoku's head. Oh, how the marines' heads will roll. In addition, we'll be releasing this story through a third party newspaper, a revolutionary who is established for detailing the real truths of the world. Not that made up propaganda the World Government uses." Koyuki put her hands up in the air dramatically, kicking her feet outwards in celebration. "It will be spectacular!" She exclaimed excitedly. "Can't you two see it? The marines will have been invaded by their worst enemy, the people will slowly lose trust in them, and our empire will continue to expand. The people will learn that the World Government is filled with liars and cheats, slaves who only serve those who have proclaimed themselves gods." Koyuki's smile dissipated, and her eyes fell upon her children. "Listen," she stated seriously, "do not forget the reason for our rebellion, my children. Do not forget why I have worked so hard to create this empire for you, and everyone else in this world who deserves it. It is to protect, to nurture, and to provide a haven for all living beings. It is in the pursuit of true peace!" Glancing at his sister to see her reaction before turning back to his mother with a unreadable look on his face. "I don’t think it would be a good idea to have us sever our ties just yet Mother, The Government and Kurama are planning something big and no one has an idea as of yet besides since my dule persona Curently stationed in the North Blue there shouldn’t be a problem for me to stand by your side without incident, besides while I understand you wants both of us to stand by your side having both me and Heili leave the marines and actively move as Pirates will create more harm than good, Let’s have me alone be revealed to the world as of now with the Black Dragon Society backing me I doubt anyone will try and attack directly, this way the world knows of your heir but you still have your Marine Spies." Reasoned Static as he continues to stare at his mother. Heili shook her head a bit and got up, beginning to look about "Do you have any wine? Or something stronger maybe?" She felt like she needed a bit of the fuzzy warmth that came with alcohol to deal with her mother's...optimism "Static's idea has merit. One of us reveals themselves to be aligned with you while the other remains as a spy. They could climb the ranks, maybe cozy up to an Admiral or two, gain high standing. Then you have a direct line to any and all Marine movements happening at any point in time. Displaying that we both are with you would not be the best move, mother." Heili spoke on her search for a nice drink, her voice neutral as she went on "Don't play your entire hand before the time is ripe or some other analogy like that." Koyuki’s lips slid open. “Wait, it’s almost time for he meeting. Yes, indeed,” she continued, looking at a clock nearby, “We need to get moving to the council. You two can’t be late for your first meeting afterall,” Koyuki smiled, standing up and walking to the door. “Come. I’m as excited for this as the rest of you; and of course, we’ll discuss our plans later too. Don’t think I’m forgetting. Now, let’s hurry.” Reinforcements The once quiet harbors of Wano would soon have visitors, two massive ships bearing the flag of the country of Giants, Elbaf. The first ship was rather plain, it was simply a massive ship with dented steel hulls the ship was obviously the escort. To the first ships rear was the Royal vessel, in terms of size the ship was larger than the escort ship however rather than the dull silver plating of the escort, this ship was adorned in gold. Once the ships finally made anchor a Demon emerged from the cabin, making his way off the ship and to the shore of the samurai, a simple white cloak adorning his being. To his side walked The Empress her expression was focused as she studied the landscape of the foreign country, the prospect of seeing her ally excited her greatly, it had been some time since the two last spoke, in they'd had no contact since Legs helped Alessandra secure the throne of Elbaf. "Come, Apollyon, let us visit our allies." As the ship's man finished their docking procedures, a young man made his way to the base of the small bridge and placed his staff into the ground and leaned against it. "Greetings, your majesty. My name is Son Wukong, the head of the police and I will be your personal guard while you're on our humble island." He said, putting his right arm on the left side of his chest while tilting his head down a bit, doing a little bow in her presence. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Alongside the younger male, another man approached, he was much more older, on his 58's. This was Draco D. Indiana, the top Archaelogist of the Black Widows and its "Jurojin". His grey hair was short, but somewhat wavy, tying into a trimmed beard. Indiana wore his usual clothing, a fedora, a simple light shirt with short sleeves, brown pants and simple shoes. On his hands, he wore white gloves and black wristbands. Over all of it, he had his signature brown coat. Despite his age, Indiana had well defined muscles. He looked quite out of place in a country such as Wano. "Excuse me and my companions, young lady!" Indiana bowed slightly, gesturing at his crewmates, and smiled at Alessandra. "You are the famous Empress of the Land of Giants, indeed? You look stunning, with all due respect, I hope you had safe travels!" He had asked, but, using his Haki, he could measure how much aura this woman carried. In fact, he had felt her presence even before she had docked. "Not that I had to make sure." He smiled to himself. Indiana rose his body and crossed his arms, observing Alessandra. "As my friend Wukong said, we are on behalf of our Captain, Daddy, to escort you through Wano. If that's fine." As he said so, he silently sent one of his vines, made with the powers of the Bain Bain no Mi, through the earth. "I should inform Cap'n that the Empress has arrived." The vine carried nothing, as its simple arrival would be a signal. "All of us are in the Black Widow Pirates! I myself am the Undying Explorer, Indiana D. Draco!" Indiana opened his arms and walked to the side so that Alessandra could continue walking. Last of the small group to arrive was a silver-haired female, her arms crossed as she brought up the rear. Her expression could only be described as bemused. "So this is the Empress that everyone speaks of. For such a grandiose reputation you're much smaller than I expected," she noted aloud, rose gaze flicking across the Empress and her companion. "My name is Zahara Annabeth, and at the risk of repeating what the old man stated, we are a part of the Black Widow Pirates. I'm one of two doctors in residence, though I function as more a Minister of Health than anything else. Either way, we are to be your vanguard for the duration of your stay here," Annabeth added before moving to the side. The blind Empress sensed the Aura of the entourage long before they presented themselves to her, although strange that the three of them all showed up so suddenly it was of no concern to the empress, she could read there intentions and she could tell they were pure. With a silent gesture she ordered Apollyon to stay with the ship as she stepped forward towards the group, the aged Aura of Indiana specifically. "Thank you for your hospitality, shall we be off?" "Good, good!" Indiana clapped both his hands together and smiled. "Our destination is a few days away, and so, we have arranged a comfortable carriage to transport all of us." He gestured towards a wood large carriage standing by the road. "The Coachman is someone we trust, picked up by me from one of the best driving schools offered here." Indiana signaled for his crewmates to stay behind Alessandra, while he walked along her. "But, you see, young lady, this is not a normal carriage. With the use of these... dials, we can add many effects to its transporting power." "Pardon me if you already know, but, Dials are indeed foreign! They hail from the Sky Islands, made from the White Sea's shellfish, and are somehow capable of storing many forms of energy." Indiana beamed lightly, recalling the many times he had ventured into some Sky Islands, all for the crew. As they had arrived, Indiana looked at the vehicle. "I can only assume that you can feel its aura, as it is supposedly made out of Adam Wood, allowing for a easier visage of it." It was one of the strongest materials in the entire world after all, and this was one of the crew's personal transports, despite not fitting Legs' size. "I have taken the time to gather a few supplies, but we can also make some stops if you so wish it. There are dials installed inside the vehicle, as to accomodate our needs!" He held the door open for Alessandra and stood on guard should she need any assistance in getting in. Indiana turned to look at Anna and Wukong, and smiled. "You guys shall voice your needs to, don't sweat about it." He waved his hands around and patted their backs. "After all, I volunteered to take as much responsability as possible!" Assuming that everyone would enter into the carriage, Indiana hopped in as well and quickly sat into a booth close to his crewmembers. "Wano has changed quite a bit since Daddy's arrival, so, if you're curious about anything, just ask me." He turned to his crewmates. "Wukong shall be aware of our surrounds at all times, and Anna shall help if anything happens. So, you can relax, young lady." Indiana crossed his legs and sent a vine to signal their departure to the driver. "This is certainly a welcome fit for an Empress" Alessandra spoke, allowing a smile to cross her features, smiles seldom occurred now a days, the stress of maintaining the strongest country in the world had begun to take its toll on the young lady, while not so much physical, it certainly changed the way she viewed the world. However she would not allow the others to view her as anything but the happy-go-lucky Empress of Elbaf. She took her seat in the carriage, one nearest the window so that she could enjoy the sites and sounds of Wano. She sat cross legged in the seat and rested her sword, the famed Saint Claudia across her lap whilst she waited for the others to take their respective seats. Indiana only smiled at the compliment and watched the visage along with Alessandra. As the carriage passed by many different places, he would be sure to stay ready to talk about it. "Beforehand, half a century ago, Wano was quite a reclusive country." He gestured at the many inhabitants walking around the streets. "Leaving it instantly made you a criminal. But, with our Captain's ascension, the Districts have been unified, and the people are even more free to roam around." At his own statement, Indiana shrugged. "Not to say it's a lawless land though!" He closed his eyes with a smile and beamed at the Empress. "Plus, Cap'n's arrival has contributed much more than you would think." He uncrossed his legs and looked out at the country once again. A few hours had passed since then, and Indiana had continued to explain many of Wano's locations to Alessandra. The carriage didn't stop, however, as no need had arisen. "Daddy has visited many places, but, the one which has struck her more is the Land of Amazon Lily. Such that, their cuisine has been integrated into some of our restaurants, allowing for some fun variety in the menu!" He made an ok symbol with his hand and hummed, remembering his many visits to the food places. "Even some foreign customs, sports and things such as Archery have been brought here, although, truly the inhabitants won't let go of swordsmanship. Many of the houses have been consistent in their design, but, along the way, we shall probably see some buildings native to other nations she's visited." He scratched his chin a bit. "However, if you wish to taste even a minimum of our cuisine, fret not, young lady. I assure you that our Captain's reception will be even warmer than our own." Indiana smiled at Alessandra and clapped his hands. Alessandra took in each word spoken by Indiana with interest carefully allowing herself to visualize them with her mind's eye, tracing the details of each building and location he described within her mind, as she could not physically witness them. In fact, she had wondered if the elder had realized that she was blind or if he'd been so focused on making the escort perfect that he'd not even noticed. The thought of him not noticing caused the Empress to let out a soft chuckle, as her smile continued to be present on her face. She felt safe in the carriage, safety, a feeling she normally only felt within the confines of her own palace on Elbaf, surrounded by the most fearsome warriors in any country, and yet this escort managed to duplicate just that. Indiana's mention of Legs snapped Alessandra out of her day dream as she began to refocus on his words. "Daddy, Legs, I've not had any contact with her since my ascension, I do hope that she understands just how thankful I am for our alliance. I had meant to visit her sooner than this." By the time the girl had came back from her day dream, the carriage had brought itself to a rather large district of Wano. Alessandra could sense the young of the population preforming archery and other various combat styles, the sound of wooden swords clashing repeatedly also echoed throughout the air as they made their way throughout the location. Alessandra's stomach growled like someone twice her size as she looked around nervously in hopes that no one had heard it. Indiana's gaze softened yet intensified at the same time. "I recall Captain informing the rest of us on the events at Elbaf. And, I can assure you, she's extremely thankful and patient." It had been hours since they had left the harbor, and even so, Indiana wasn't tired at all. Indiana's eyes almost widened upon hearing a faint sound coming from the Empress. "Oooh, pardon me, young lady!" He waved his hands a bit and closed his eyes. "I forgot to ask if you would like to eat some of the supplies we've got for the voyage." He opened one eye to look at her with uncertainty. "Unless, you would prefer to stand by a restaurant." Seeing that Alessandra was fine with the carriage's food, Indiana only smiled and nodded. The carriage was headed for north, and had its final destination set as Legs' main home. There were days ahead of them, and he just hoped that it would be a safe trip- No, he would work, alongside his compatriots, to make sure this would be a safe trip. ---- It had been a day and half since their departure. They had crossed two-thirds of the whole path and had already entered the district which housed Legs' home. Indiana laid in one of the carriage's booths by sitting in an odd position, seemingly asleep, as his hat stood atop his head and covered his face. Alessandra too had grown tired from their travels however she could not bring herself to fall asleep among their travels as easily as her guide had. For she could sense that some of the populace weren't as accepting of the Empress of Elbafs arrival as they might let on. It was the feeling that had become a curse for the Empress. One might think that being able to see through any and all lies would be a blessing, however for Alessandra that meant that she could that people viewed her as a false Empress, one undeserving of the throne that she currently sits upon. It was these feelings that had turned the girl into a warmonger the last couple of months, absolving smaller monarchs only to force them to bend the knee to Elbaf, to her or face eradication. The Empress was soon awoken from these thoughts by the stopping of the carriage, as she then began to wonder if they'd finally reached their destination. Indiana hopped out of his seat as soon as the carriage stopped, seemingly having not slept too deeply. "Huh?" He opened a window behind him, which allowed him to talk to the Driver. "What happened? Why did you stop?" They hadn't arrived in Legs' home yet, there was still another day and a half for them to reach it. "T-There's a Samurai blocking the way, Sir." The Driver shuddered, pointing at a man standing in the middle of their road. It was early morning, so he was easily seen. "He was shouting something about Empress..." Indiana's eyes widened. "Huh..." He turned to look at Alessandra, knowing how she probably felt the emotion of many people along the way. "I suppose we haven't got rid of all rebels yet." Indiana smiled. "He intends to sever my head from my body, and send it back to Elbaf, he then intends to burn the rest of my body in the same of the true wano." However, fear was not present in the voice of Alessandra as she calmly made her way out of the carriage, bringing herself to the front of it, in front of the samurai who so desperately wanted to bring an end to her life, to bring an end to her reign. Foolish were the boy's thoughts, what, did he think that Calypso herself would fear a single person on this island, if so he had made a terrible mistake. "Kneel." It was a single word, but the power it carried was tremendous, yet terrifying. As her words reached the rebel samurai's ears, he laid his weapon down at his feet and did the Empress' will. The look of pure terror on his face was shielded from Indiana by Alessandra's body. The will of the empress had overridden the man's body, he was still aware of his actions and what he was doing, however, he was powerless to resist the Goddess' will, this was the power of Alessandra's Haoshoku Haki, the reason that she had become so feared in recent months. "Now, run along to wherever you came from." With that the Empress returned her self to the carriage. The innocent smile still upon her face as she assumed her seat again. Indiana was mildly surprised at the intentions of that citizen. Although, he could feel it with his own Haki shortly afterwards, not only the boy's intentions, but also the burst of Haoshoku from Alessandra. His breathing got delayed for an instant, his heart beat twice instead of once, and his mind bulged. She truly was what people said, maybe even more. "I didn't want you to busy yourself, young lady." Indiana gave off a happy sigh and looked up to the woman. "But, that was incredible! Jorarararara!" His grin was wide and his eyes stood closed. Indiana tapped the window again and waved for the driver to continue. "I apologize for the inconvenience, we'll be sure to adress such disrespect with the populace later on." He crossed his legs once again and only stood in alert, for whatever else came next. They still had some time after all. The Assembly "I suppose it's time for me to go." A man with white hair somewhat sighed, as he finished organizing his documents and stood up from his star-shaped brown desk etched with gold across the edges. "Ensure that nobody comes in here, as always, Soren." He mentioned to another person in the same room. "Sure thing, Isshin-sensei!" The younger man enthusiastically responded, grabbing his sheathed blade and putting it on his shoulder as a sign of preparedness. He was a well-build young man with striking blue hair, and was in the same Ninja clan as the Black Widow herself, the Fukuoka Family. "I'll be off." In a mere moment, the space around Isshin distorted, and he vanished from sight, leaving only a fleeting white trail. In mere moments, he had ended up in an entirely different area. An enormous assembly hall with a large round table that could fit at least 20 people as the centerpiece. There seemed to be food and drinks prepared for everyone, and Isshin was the first person to have arrived at the conference hall. He took a seat to the right of the largest chair in the room, the one belonging to their Captain, and awaited the arrival of the others. At the same time, he remembered his unexpected encounter with Admiral Warren D. Ralph, hearing of his unexpected absence, he continued to wonder if it were, by chance, his own fault. He paid it no mind, but he knew that his Captain would no doubt attempt to capitalize upon this opportunity, and so he made his calculations accordingly. Category:Role-Plays